Endorsing the Declaration of Cooperation with WHO, June 2001

We are happy to announce that the Declaration of Cooperation regarding Mental Health of Refugees, Displaced and Other Populations affected by Conflict and Post-conflict Situations was formally endorsed by the International Society for Health and Human Rights at our Annual General Meeting in Cavtat, on June 24, 2001.

The final Declaration was presented to the membership and conference participants at our VI International Conference for Human Rights and Mental Health, by Ms. Mary Petevi, who had the opportunity to share with us the perspectives and challenges involved in this work, as the first key note speaker at our conference. She called for stronger partnerships and cooperation on these important matters. The conference, entitled "Communities in Crisis: Strengthening Resources for Community Reconstruction" was a response to what we see as the main professional issue in this area, namely strengthening local resources and intervening at a community level. The main conference theme was thus strongly linked to and in line with the aims of the Declaration and the intentions behind the Tools for Rapid Assessment. This point was also made by Ms. Mary Petevi in her keynote speech.

The International Society has had regular contact with WHO, especially The Mental Health Determinants and Populations, Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence at the World Health Organization, for long period of time, and members of our society have participated actively in the process leading up to the Declaration and the Tools for Rapid Assessment. Several of our council members were invited to assist at the International Consultation on Mental Health of Refugees and Displaced Persons in Conflict and Post-conflict Situations, 23 - 25 October 2000.

By endorsing the Declaration ISHHR hopes to contribute in different ways, by informing about the Declaration and the Tools, by affording personnel resources for training and supervision assignments and by constantly elaborating methods of psychosocial interventions in situations where human rights have been abused, where communities are under stress and the population at risk with regard to mental health. We will assist in translating the documents into Spanish. We are looking forward to further collaboration with WHO on these important issues.

On behalf of the Society,

Nora Sveaass, Secretary General, ISHHR